Normalcy Interrupted
by Ninianna
Summary: Years after the last time Dudley Dursley saw his cousin, something magical intrudes on his normal life.
1. Chapter 1

CRACK.

"Wha…?? What?!" Dudley Dursley screamed as he ran down the stairs of his modest three bedroom, two bath, living room, dining room, rec room, _normal, _muggle home.

Standing at the foot of the stairs was his wife, Karen, wearing a white blouse and a gray pinstriped skirt. Her hair was a boring shade of brown, and her make-up natural and modern. She was a _normal_ schoolteacher.

"Dudley!" she cried, as soon as she saw him. She was holding a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with surprise and fright. "Dudley, what was that?"

He reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around. He realized the noise must have come from the living room, and tried to push Karen into the kitchen, away from any danger. She looked at him with the face she normally reserved for the children in her classes, and walked behind him into the room closest to the front of the house, the one with the fireplace, the one where the noise had come from.

As he was about to pass through the doorway, he realized that the noise had sounded familiar, and in that instant, he realized why.

_It was about twenty minutes after they had left their house for the last time, and along with it, his cousin. Dudley had spent years and years being hostile to Harry, but he was never sure if he meant it or not. Ever since his cousin came into their lives, his father and mother had taught him to hate Harry. And for the first fifteen years, he did. Not for anything he had done, but for the fact that he had existed._

_But then that summer, of his fifteenth year, something happened. He was attacked by a wizarding menace, called a dementor. The ultimate fear, a fear he had only felt one other moment in his life…no. Even two and a half years later, he refused to think of even the memory of a memory. And Harry had taken it away. Dudley was defenseless, for all his size and strength, he could do nothing. Then Harry; even though he had hated—still hated—Dudley, had scared away the bad memories and the creature. _

_Dudley was contemplating all this when the wizard, who was in the passenger seat in their SUV next to his father, jumped and gave a little squeak. Dudley looked up at him and then followed his stare to a point only seven feet or so away from their car. There was a silver lynx, almost translucent, sitting there. It seemed wraithlike, and with a surprise, Dudley realized it was similar to the stag his cousin had produced once; that he had used to scare away the dementors._

_The witch next to him in the backseat opened the car-door and stepped out. Dudley shuffled out after her, and was just in time to hear the lynx speak. _

"_It is time; we are preparing to leave the house." It was the deep, slow voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt. _

_Dedalus Diggle, the wizard, squealed, "Alright then, all of you come here," and held out a book. When Dudley tilted his head, he read the title, _Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, _by Newt Scamander. He sighed when he realized that the picture on the front, that of what appeared to be a dragon, was moving. He already knew how his parents would react when they saw this. Personally he thought it was really cool._

_His mum looked at it and squealed; a sound to rival Dedalus' voice. His dad simply shuddered and tried to stand between it and his mum. Dudley looked to the dark-haired witch, and saw her roll her eyes. He hid a smile, but she still seemed to have seen it, and her eyes twinkled at him._

"_Alright now, all of you take hold of this book here," she commanded. Dudley put his hand to it immediately, watching as his parents hesitated and then did the same. Suddenly there was a loud crack, and he felt a pull behind his navel, and then they were all gone._

Entering the living room, Dudley shook himself of these memories. He knew now that it was something…magical. Something magical was in his living room, and he knew that there was a distinct possibility that whatever it was wouldn't like him.

**A/N: So, do you like it so far? Most of it was a flashback, but I think I like where it's going, so I'll update really soon. Read and Review, tell me what you like, what you don't like, and if I'm just an awful writer.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay, I'd like to mention MandyQ for her extraordinarily brilliant conjecture, and thank her for her praise. Also, I hope you like this story as much as I do. Please review and tell me whether or not you hate it! **

_Something magical was in his living room, and he knew that there was a distinct possibility that whatever it was wouldn't like him._

Dudley peered around the doorframe, wishing as he had done as a child that he had magical powers too, and got the shock of his life.

There, standing right in the middle of his beautifully ordinary brown carpet, was an equally brown creature. It had spotted wrinkly skin that drooped off of his thin frame. It was clothed in a fine white linen pillowcase with golden embroidery around the seams, and nicely cut holes for the arms and the head. Its head had startlingly wide eyes and a hooked nose, and exceptionally large ears.

The creature just looked at Dudley while he tried to collect himself. But before he could, he heard a gasp from behind him as he realized that his normal muggle wife would never have seen anything like this before, let alone anything magic. He turned around to see her face white and her eyes nearly as wide as the creature's. He tucked Karen under his arm and started to murmur nonsensical comfort words at her.

She looked at him, and he was almost more shocked at what he saw in her eyes than when he had seen the wrinkly _thing_ appear in his living room.

She looked like a little child, delighted by a new toy. Before he could say anything, if would be able to find his voice, the creature began to speak.

"Kreacher is here to deliver an invitation for a Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Dursley of Number 8 Reson Drive to join my master for a dinner at Number 12 Grimmauld Place on the Eve of July 17."

Dudley tried to stutter out a reply, but his wife interrupted him.

"And who is your master, Kreacher?" Her voice was full of wonder.

"A Mr. Harry Potter, and all of his family." He said, in the same croaky voice as he had used when issuing the invitation.

"A Mr. Harry Potter…" Karen trailed off. She spun her head to look at her husband. "Dudley, isn't that your cousin?"

He shifted uncomfortably. He had only told Karen the necessary details. The fact that he had grown up with Harry and that his family, including him, had been cruel to him. He had also shared his deep regret about the way he had treated him. He sighed and answered her. "Yes, that's my cousin."

"But Kreacher isn't…normal." She finished in that same wondering tone she had used before.

"No," Dudley grimaced. "Harry isn't very…normal…either."

"I think," she said, the stern teacher tone in her voice, "that you should tell me everything. Now."

Dudley sighed and fidgeted again. "Alright," he saw the smile on her face, "but first we have to accept or deny." He glanced meaningfully at the creature, or rather Kreacher, before looking back at his wife.

"Oh," she said and looked back at the other person in the room. "Well, er, okay, tell your…master that we accept and that we look forward to seeing him." She finished politely.

Kreacher bowed, and said "As you wish," and with another loud crack, disappeared.

Dudley turned back to his expectant wife, and spent the next three quarters of an hour explaining the little he knew of the magical world to her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: You'll have to suspend disbelief with the whole muggles can't see Grimmauld Place here. I hope you enjoy it, review and tell me what I could do better!**

On the evening of July 17th, the two Dursleys found themselves standing outside, right in front of where Number 11 and Number 13 met, on the street where they were supposed to be. They stared at the spot, as if in denial as to the fact that there was no Number 12. They glanced at each other, thinking that this was a practical joke by the other, and that someone would jump out and cry, "surprise!" It was nearly two weeks after the visit of Kreacher; two weeks after Dudley gave the very last of his secrets to his wife.

Suddenly a glimmer of movement caught the young couple's eyes. They looked to the spot where there had previously been nothing, and suddenly there were simply painted white walls, looking orange in the twilight, and a clean looking red door. Leading up to the door were new-looking cement steps, and on the door was a gold knocker in the shape of a lion. They didn't look at the door long; they weren't able to, it was opened, and in the doorway stood a man, no more than their age, 23, with messy black hair, and wearing a red sweater and dark jeans.

Through her arm around his waist, Karen felt Dudley jerk. She looked over at him and saw trepidation on his face. She squeezed his waist and walked forward, ready to greet this strange member of her family.

Harry watched them walk up to his door, and for a second regretted reaching out to this obscure part of his family, but when he saw the woman's face, Karen, he recalled, he smiled. She looked eager and delighted to become part of this world.

"Dudley." Harry reached out his hand to his cousin. With an almost unnoticeable hesitation, Dudley shook it.

"Harry, this is my wife, Karen. Karen, this is my…cousin." He glanced at Harry to see if it was okay to introduce him as such. He smiled at Dudley and said, "It's nice to meet you Karen."

She beamed and said, "The pleasure is mine! I…I have so many questions," she glanced at her husband, then looked back at Harry.

"Well, if you'd like to come in, I can introduce you to my wife, Ginny, and then I can try to give you some answers." When he looked at her his eyes twinkled with interest at the muggle woman's reaction.

"Oh, of course," she smiled again and followed the man through the entrance into the warm and welcoming house. As they walked in, the couple took in the details with awe. The small hall connected to the doorway had warm amber walls with scarlet trim, and had another door off to the side of the door, which they took to be a coat closet. The hallway was lined with paintings of colorful landscapes and as they looked up, they saw one of the most beautiful chandeliers they had ever seen, wrought with silver and gold twined together, and crystals hanging from it, and catching the light.

At the end of the hallway a woman appeared. She had a welcoming smile on her face, which was framed by vibrant red hair that flowed just past her shoulders. Her eyes were a shining brown, brimming with curiosity. She wore a plain sweater like her husband, in a shade of sky-blue, and a knee-length denim skirt. But her most memorable feature was her rounded belly, obviously full of child. She touched it, not knowing that she did, when she saw Karen's eyes look down.

"Hello. I'm Ginny," she said gently, quietly, as if she was scared of frightening them away.

Harry made the introductions to her, although Dudley found it obvious that the woman already knew.

"Well," the woman, Ginny, spoke again, "How about we all sit down and…catch up."

The couple agreed and followed the man down the hallway to where there was a dark cherry wooded staircase, and to either side a door. They went through the door on the right, and into another inviting room, with dusky-colored gold couches, and puffy scarlet chairs, with cherry-wood furniture pieces scattered around the room.

The potters sat down on the couch, the woman lowering herself gently, with the help of her husband, on to it. The Dursleys sat on the loveseat opposite them.

Harry began. "I suppose we have a lot to talk about. I assume that you, Karen, know about the world my wife and I live in?"

"Yes," she said, "my husband told me what he knew when your…servant?" Harry nodded. "When he arrived." She finished.

Harry said, "Well, to start of, Kreacher is a house-elf. Many old wizarding families have a house-elf, I inherited one when my godfather, the man who owned this house originally died." There was a brief flash of grief in his eyes.

"Harry," Dudley began awkwardly; Karen took his hand and squeezed it, trying to encourage him, "I'm so sorry. About everything. About how my parents…how I," he corrected, "treated you."

Harry shook his head and smiled sadly. "I forgave you a long time ago, Dudley. Which is why, really, I wanted to talk to both of you."

"I don't understand."

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes. Karen noticed Ginny grab his hand, the same thing she had just done for Dudley. He started, "Six years ago we parted, and since then the reason for our parting has…" He searched for the right word, "expired."

Dudley's eyes widened. "So, that, that, Lord Voldemort is…" He searched his cousins face.

"Dead. Gone."

Dudley stared at him intently. There was an emotion on his cousin's face he couldn't describe.

Harry sighed again and continued. "I killed him. There was a battle, and many people I knew died fighting. Today my world is still recovering."

Karen looked from her husband's relieved face to her cousin-in-law's tortured one. "I don't know what you're talking about…" she trailed off.

Ginny spoke. "Many years before I was born, there was a Dark Wizard, a wizard who practices evil magic, who tried to control our world. He attacked Harry's parents, your aunt- and uncle-in-law, and killed them. He tried to kill Harry, but it failed. The curse he used…was always effective before, but it didn't kill Harry. That made…" she smiled, "quite an uproar. That's why Harry went to live with Dudley and his family. Voldemort…died, but not really. His body died."

Harry went on from there. "When I turned eleven, I went to school at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. There I met Ginny, and in my fourth year, Voldemort came back to life. He started his rise for power again and killed many people. When I was seventeen, six years ago, I fought him, and killed him."

Dudley and Karen sat in shock.

Harry continued. "Three years later I married Ginny, and we remodeled this place and moved in."

Karen opened her mouth to speak, but the words stopped in her mouth. Dudley spoke instead. "Harry…I'm so glad you're okay, and your wife, but I don't understand why…"

"Why I contacted you?" Harry said gently. Dudley nodded.

"When we found out about our baby…We realized that you might have something to worry about in your future." Ginny said.

Karen was seized with a terror that she couldn't explain. Her throat closed, but she managed to croak, "What would that be?"

Harry answered in a slow, cautious voice. "There is the possibility…since my mother came from muggles, non magic-folk, and had the magic gene…which Dudley was exposed to through our grandparents…that your children might be witches or wizards. I didn't know how the two of you…would react to that…" he seemed unable to finish, so his wife said bluntly,

"After the way that Dudley was raised, believing that Harry was a freak, and was less deserving because of it, we didn't know how you would react to that. We wanted you to know that if any of your children were magical, and you didn't know how to deal with that, we are an option. You could give them into our custody to watch over until they come of age."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm really sorry it's later than I expected; I got caught up in a new book…you know how it goes. Anyway, the next chapter is already written, I should be able to get it out either later tonight or tomorrow night. Forgive me and review! I beg of you!!**

Karen crashed to her feet, trying to control her anger. Her shoulders were locked in tension and her mouth was open, gaping. Dudley stood only a second behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. He wasn't angry; he was mortified. He knew that he and his actions had brought this on.

Karen spoke. "I know that the two of you think that this is best, and you really are trying to help, but," She bit back the spiteful words that rose to her mouth. Harry interrupted before she could finish.

"Please understand," he said a begging expression in his eyes, "we only want what's best for us all, and especially for any children." Ginny put her hand on her stomach.

I know," said Karen, perhaps a little shorter than she should have been. "It's obvious that you care," she hesitated and glanced at Dudley. She looked away and continued forcefully. "But no matter what my husband feels, I will love any children of mine, whether they have magic or not."

Dudley breathed a sigh of relief and touched his wife's face. "Karen, I agree."

Harry looked shocked, whereas Karen was delighted. Dudley smiled at her before turning to face his cousin. He tried to take a deep breath before speaking, but it caught in his throat. "Harry…My parents were unnecessarily cruel to you. At the time I…I didn't think so. When I graduated University, I took a job as a social worker. Both of those may come as a surprise to you, the graduation especially," he grinned ruefully, "but they're true. I see a lot of cases of child abuse, mental and physical, and that," he turned to grab his wife's hand, "and meeting Karen changed the way I saw a lot of things."

Harry looked hard at his cousin, and saw only sincerity in his eyes. Walking across the room he held out his hand. Dudley stared cautiously at him, ready for the rebuke he knew he deserved. Harry stopped in front of him and held out his hand again, waiting. Dudley looked at his cousin, whose face had haunted him since he had realized the similarities in his work, and hoped that this wasn't too good to be true. Suddenly, in a movement neither of the women saw, the pair were hugging, finally at peace with each other.

The two men stood there a while, and when they broke apart, their faces were alight with smiles, identical to the other. And the two women beamed at their beloveds, thinking only of the happiness this would bring both families. Finally Ginny cleared her throat, and said, "Well, if it's alright by you lot, I think we might as well start on that dinner we made." Karen released Dudley's hand and walked over to the pregnant woman. She too held out her hand.

"Can I help?" she asked simply. Ginny grinned at her.

"Well, you can help me up, but I think I'll make Harry set the table and serve." Harry fake grimaced at her words.

The two couples made their way into the original hallway and past the stairs; Ginny opened the other door, and they all walked down the stairs into what appeared to be a kitchen.

Harry looked at the Dursleys and grimaced, why, Karen couldn't tell.

"I'm sure since they're already here, it won't matter," Ginny said, apparently much to Harry's relief.

And then the two muggles gasped in awe as the previously normal seeming man took out a wand, and began flicking it at cupboards. This wouldn't be too amazing; except for the fact that now porcelain pieces were flying about the room and organizing themselves on a mahogany table. Then there was a crack, which by now the Dursley couple recognized.

"Master should have summoned Kreacher," said the wrinkled house-elf, in his croaking voice.

"It's quite alright Kreacher, we've already taken care of it," assured Ginny.

"Mistress, Kreacher lives to serve," the elf argued.

"Kreacher, why don't you serve the soup, then?" Harry interrupted before his wife could continue the argument with the aged elf. She opened her mouth to tell Kreacher otherwise, but Harry shushed her. Dudley noticed the elf walk over to a large pot, a cauldron, he corrected mentally, and then turned his attention back to Harry.

"Alright then, why don't we all sit down?" Harry suggested before he pulled out a chair for his wife. Dudley mirrored the gesture, and then sat down to the left of Karen, across from Ginny.

Karen smiled tentatively at Harry, and then sat across from him. She tried to start up a conversation; she congratulated Ginny and asked what she planned to name her child.

"Oh we haven't decided yet," she said with a chuckle. "I was tossing around a few names, but I think we'll wait to see what he looks like first."

Karen was surprised. "You know what gender the baby is?"

Ginny smiled and had a twinkle in her eye. "My mother had a…feeling."

"Oh," Karen said. "_Oh."_

Harry sat down next to his wife and explained to Dudley. "Besides being able to use a wand, some wizards and witches find they have other powers. Like speaking to snakes," Dudley's eyes widened as he remembered a trip to a zoo a long time ago, "Or seeing the future-or knowing the sex of a baby before it's born." He snickered as he saw the flashback in Dudley's eyes.

"And my mother has had seven children, so it might not be _all _magic." Ginny finished.

Karen was again surprised. "Seven?"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and Harry replied, "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are wonderful people, they just wanted a large family."

"Oh, no offense meant!" Karen said hurriedly, "My parents had five, I was just surprised."

Ginny looked at the woman with interest. "Really? I was the youngest and the only girl."

"Me too," Karen said. The two women smiled at each other in comradeship.

The rest of the dinner passed uneventfully, but the two cousins had a laugh at a seemingly familiar pudding for desert, levitated into the room by the house-elf.


End file.
